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PHILADELPHIA – Wayne Simmonds was quiet for most of the first five games against the New York Rangers and everyone wearing orange and black had a feeling that wouldn't last long.

"He was jumping everywhere," captain Claude Giroux said. "He was strong on the puck. When Wayne wants to win the battle, he wins it and he gives everyone in the room a little motivation to do the same."

Simmonds was the leader netting a hat trick in a 5-2 win over the Rangers to force a Game 7 in New York tonight.

"Obviously it's do or die. Win or we go home," Simmonds said. "We're not ready to go home yet. We want to move on to the second round."

Before the Flyers began pummeling the Rangers, things looked like they were on a familiar path.

Like most other games in this series, the Flyers immediately went into retreat mode in their own end. They turned the puck over multiple times and the Rangers couldn't capitalize.

Also like other games in this series, the Flyers were given an early power-play opportunity.

This time, Simmonds made sure they capitalized. He scored his first at 7:08 after his own shot went off the foot of Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh and Simmonds put home the rebound to beat Henrik Lundqvist.

"I guess that's becoming kind of my forte," Simmonds said. "I actually had a great chance before the goal, too. [Giroux] gave me a great pass. I got the puck off my skate from [Scott Hartnell] and I just kept banging at it."

The goal came after the Flyers made turnover after turnover in their own end. Goalie Steve Mason was phenomenal making 34 saves, including 13 in the first period, and bailing the Flyers out when they needed him most.

"He had so many games like that," winger Jake Voracek said. "He's a very good goaltender. It was a huge game and a huge game for him especially because when we were up 1-0 or 2-0, he came up with huge saves, which makes the difference in the playoffs."

Simmonds struck again at 1:32 of the second period when Brayden Schenn tried to get a shot off, but McDonagh got a stick on him and the errant puck was left for Simmonds and an empty Rangers net with Lundqvist out of position.

The right wing got to the net better than he had all season and it was thanks to aggressiveness the Flyers focused on heading into the game.

"Chief really relayed that message to us," Simmonds said. "I think we were, I don't know if I want to say 'scared,' but we're used to getting penalties and sometimes when you're overly aggressive the refs tend to put the arm up and you kind of shy away from physical play."

The Flyers committed another eight penalties in Game 6, but lived to tell about them all. They've now killed 21 straight and after Erik Gustafsson came out of the box for a high-sticking penalty, he found the puck on his stick to score a third goal for the Flyers to make it 3-0.

"It was a lot of fun when I saw the puck come down to me," Gustafsson said. "I think it took a fortunate bounce. I almost thought Lundqvist was going to get it, but luckily the puck went in."

Simmonds scored again with 4:41 left in the second period, again on the power play. His third of the night marked the first Flyers playoff hat trick since Giroux and Sean Couturier each netted one against the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 13, 2012.

By the time the third period rolled around, the Flyers had chased Lundqvist, after the Rangers decided to rest the goaltender for the pivotal game in the series Wednesday in New York.

Carl Hagelin finally beat Mason late in the third period, but the Flyers and Rangers traded goals after that, when the game was out of reach. The Flyers made it feel like it was out of reach far before Hagelin scored.

"Our guys, they're passionate," Berube said. "They want to win, but they brought a little bit more tonight with aggressiveness and tenacity and the battles, staying in the battles, fighting for shots, blocking shots. That was all there and you need that in the playoffs."

Leading the way was Simmonds.

"We had layered screens," Simmonds said. "We kept the pressure up. We had second chances and third chances and fourth chances. We just kept going and didn't quit on plays. That was the difference."